AREA RANKINGS

(Records through Friday)

1. University School (6-1)

2. Waukesha (3-1-1)

3. Marquette (6-0)

4. KMMO (4-1)

5. Homestead (5-2)

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

ANOTHER RUN: Area and state player of the year Ian Malcolmson has graduated, but Waukesha’s cupboard isn’t bare. Standout goalkeeper Garrett Larsen is back as is junior Chad Larsen, who was the team’s leading scorer entering Saturday. Waukesha is trying to become the first team in five years to repeat as Classic 8 champion.

WILDCATS FEVER: University School has been the area’s best team thus far. In the last week, it defeated Wausau West, the team’s eighth-ranked team by Wisconsinprephockey, 4-2, and Arrowhead, 3-1. The only blemish on the Wildcats’ résumé was a 3-2 overtime loss to No. 2 Neenah in which they blew a 2-0 lead. They’ll further test their mettle with a three-day tournament in Minnesota over winter break.

SLOW START: One team that didn’t make our top five that we might hear from eventually is Arrowhead. The Warhawks are 2-3-1 with losses to state-ranked Neenah and University School and Middleton, which is off to a 2-1 start in the Big Eight. Arrowhead led in the final period of its losses to Middleton and Neenah as well as its tie with Verona. Once the Warhawks start finishing games, they could be a tough out.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jaxon Carr, sr., F, Arrowhead: The returning first-team all-area selection was the Warhawks' leading scorer through five games with eight points, an average of 1.6.

Drew Gebhardt, sr., F, Homestead: He has been dynamite in the first month, posting 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists).

Peter Genatempo, sr., F, Arrowhead: The returning first-team all-area pick went 15-2 with six shutouts last season. He is allowing about two goals per game so far against a tough schedule.

Jackson Katz, sr., F, Homestead: The all-North Shore selection led the Highlanders with 48 points last season and was averaging 2.57 points per game through the first seven contests.

Eli Kopish, sr., F, West Bend: The 2017 all-North Shore selection had scored a point in four of the Ice Bears’ first five games.

Garrett Larsen, jr., G, Waukesha: A second-team all-area selection last year, Larsen compiled a 25-4 record, a .919 save percentage and a 1.77 goal-against average. He has a 0.97 goals-against average and .952 save percentage for the Wings entering Saturday.

Outlook: The Jan. 9 showdown between Waukesha and University School likely will determine the direction the balance of power in the league shifts this season. Waukesha was slated to open league play Saturday at Kenosha. University School, meanwhile, is off to a 2-0 start that includes a 3-1 victory over Arrowhead on Thursday. Marquette is also 2-0 in the league, a mark that includes a comeback victory over KMMO. Arrowhead, which is 1-1 in the league, is off to a 2-3-1 start. Also watch out for KMMO, which has a chance to string together some victories before facing Waukesha, Arrowhead and University School at the back of its schedule.

Outlook: Two-time defending champion Homestead is off to a fast start with victories over Cedarburg and West Bend by a combined score of 17-6. The battle for second is expected to come down to Bay and West Bend, which is off to a 4-2 start overall and 1-1 in the league with a loss to Homestead and a 5-1 victory over Cedarburg on Friday. The Ice Bears won’t return to league play until January, when they play Bay, Cedarburg and Homestead on Jan. 4-6.